Blatter promises fresh start on refs

傑夫仔

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said his fears over the standard of refereeing at the 2010 World Cup have been sadly realised, with the governing body to look into the issue later this year.

Speaking exclusively to SBS in Cape Town, Mr Blatter said FIFA has spent the last few years focusing on refereeing at grass roots level, but it was now time to concentrate on the elite level.

The comments come after a series of blunders by officials marred several World Cup matches, including Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal for England against Germany, and a blatantly offside goal for Argentina’s Carlos Tevez against Mexico.

While he wouldn’t comment on specific refereeing decisions, Mr Blatter said the association would revisit the issue in depth in October or November this year.

“We need to start again with refereeing,” he told Les Murray.

“We will look at a new approach from October or November with human refereeing focusing on top clubs.”

Mr Blatter also acknowledged the need to "take the prima-donnas out of the game" in a thinly-veiled reference to simulation on the pitch by several players, who have won free-kicks and even had opponents sent off in controversial circumstances.

However Mr Blatter defended the much-maligned Jabulani ball being used at the World Cup, blaming matches played at altitude and the kick-and-chase tactics of several teams.

“It is a wonderful ball,” Mr Blatter said.

“Sure the goalkeepers don’t like it … at sea level there is no problem, but at altitude the ball goes flying.”

He pointed to Germany, Spain and Netherlands as teams that have succeeded at the tournament by keeping the ball on the ground as proof of the ball’s success.